


the belief in something greater

by UchiHime



Category: A.C.E (Beat Interactive Band), Kpop - Fandom, Stray Kids (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Fake religions, Gen, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, but like don't actually worship idols okay, playing with the idea of idols as gods
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-15 15:35:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29686143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UchiHime/pseuds/UchiHime
Summary: There are as many gods as there are fish in the sea, but most of them are sleeping.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 8





	the belief in something greater

**Author's Note:**

> this is in no way saying that you should put idols on pedestals and worship them as gods. they are human filled with flaws and should definitely be held accountable for their actions, especially since they have so much influence. this is just an idea i had that i wanted to explore.

There are as many gods as there are fish in the sea, but most of them are sleeping. Without believers to power them with their faith, they lack the strength to do anything but rest and dream of the day they’ll reawake.

It only takes three believers to form a church and only one church to wake a god, though more often than not it ends up being a pantheon. And each pantheon works tirelessly for the sake of their faithful.

MONBEBE never feared the dark because the Monsta X pantheon watches over them and lights their way.

The pantheon Day6 awoke for their My Days and told them they would never again have to face an uncertain tomorrow alone.

The faithful ONCE called for a pantheon who promised to give back TWICE the love they received.

The Got7 pantheon shielded their faithful baby birds from through all storms, but AHGASE were far from fragile and proved their endurance time and again.

The dreams of the faithful REVELUV were carefully guarded by the pantheon Red Velvet.

The number of gods and pantheons in existence numbered more than could be counted. Once awakened, the word of the pantheon and what they brought to their faithful spread far and wide and drew in more believers. And with each new believer, the power of the pantheon grew stronger.

It takes three believers to make a church and one church to awaken a god, but what does it take to make the first believer start believing? 

What leads to that that first tiny prayer whispered into the dark; faith cast like a net into the ocean with no idea of what they might pull out? For what reason do they craft the idea of the gods they need and pour into that idea all their faith and hope? And share that idea with others, like bedtime stories whispered to frightened children to make them believe there’s something stronger than the monster under the bed? Until enough people are pouring all their faith and hope into this god as well? Until the god that already exists and perfectly suits that idea awakens from their long slumber into a world that had previously forgotten it or have never known it exists?

Desperation? Helplessness? Fear? The need to believe in something when everything else has failed them? A yearning to fill an emptiness in themselves? To bring new light into their dark lives? The desire to be part of something more than they alone could be? Achieve more than they alone could dare to dream?

There was once a people who lived life on a battlefield, constantly under attack and struggling to make it through life one day at a time. They poured their faith into gods they hoped would give them strength and endurance and hope. They were desperate soldiers with nothing to lose and nothing else to believe in, who were growing tired of fighting but still refused to give up.

They prayed for gods who were strong enough to survive anything and woke a pantheon they named Bangtan Sonyeondan.

It’s the people who name their faith, but the gods name their people. 

They name them as they wish them to be.

So the Bangtan pantheon looked upon these world weary faithful who’d wished for gods who were bulletproof, and named them ARMY in hopes of enduing them with the strength and ferocity needed to survive a harsh world, and with the wish they carry the news of their pantheon’s love like the banners of the kings for which they fought.

The faithful who woke the ACE pantheon did so out of frustration and the desire to break free from the shackles of the established and open a new road for themselves. They yearned for freedom after a life spent confined into a space they did not quite fit, being spoon fed the ideas of a world that did not fulfill their needs but given no other options. They’d grown numb from the constraints, but instead of giving up and accepting things as they are, they helplessly called out with a desperate hunger for something more. Their cries reached the ears of gods who knew how it felt to be confined, but also knew what it took to break away.

Adventure Calling Emotions. ACE is what the faithful named their pantheon and CHOICE is what the gods named their people with the hope that they never be confined again, that they would always have freedom and options and that they never again be made to feel numb and helpless, and with the silent hope that if they ever came to a choice of faith, it would always be them they choose.

Perhaps the strangest name given to a pantheon by their faithful is that of Stray Kids, but their faithful were those who felt lost and alone with nowhere to go in a too big world and no one to reach out to and share their burden. They did not feel like they belonged among the ranks of ARMY despite facing similar battles, nor did they feel at home with CHOICE despite the same yearning to break free, nor did any of the other pantheons fully suit their needs. With nowhere else to turn, they poured all their faith into prayers for gods who understood what it felt like to be left astray and not quite belong anywhere.

The pantheon of Stray Kids looked into the hearts of their faithful and could think of only one name for them. STAY. And so they were named in the hopes of them finding a home, a place they could always return, someone they could always reach out to, so that they’d never feel lost again, and with the hope that if the roads ever grew tough, their faithful would not stray.

And so ARMY grew strong, unshaken in their faith and undefeated in their strength.

And so CHOICE ran free, unyielding in their determination and unbowed by any change.

And so STAY stood firm, unwavering in their loyalty and unbroken by any setback.

And so pantheon and faithful stood together and faced all the world threw at them.

And every day new gods awaken, powered by belief. Everyday new pantheons form, tied by hope. Everyday new faithful are given names and with it promises to walk a flowery path together.

**Author's Note:**

> i chose to explore bts and ace in detail because they are the groups/fandoms i know best, but stray kids are my ults and I wrote this for STAY. I originally drabbled the idea when the Han situation was going on (an attempt to direct my conflicted emotions as a black stay into something other than generalized frustration.) 
> 
> STAYs have been hit with a lot these last few months and im sure a lot of us are upset and hurting and feeling kinda lost but remember, felix asked us to believe in them and hyunjin begged us never to leave. they named us as they wished us to be, so what else can we do but stay?
> 
> obviously you don't have to be a stay to read this. and if you read it, i'd really appreciate if you left a comment. thanks


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